Earlier today, we saw this tweet:

Translation: The Red Wave has invaded the streets of Recife! Way to go, guys!

So…pretty impressive rally for the leftist candidate Fernando Haddad, right? Surely a crowd that rivals some of the Bolsonaro manifestations.

Except…well…Haddad was there, and the event was planned.

Meanwhile, our social media accounts are, at this moment, blowing up with pictures and videos of massive rallies in cities – large and small – all over Brazil, in favor of Jair Bolsonaro. At none of these apparently spontaneous manifestations is the candidate present, due to the fact that he is still hospitalized after surviving an assassination attempt almost two weeks ago.

And yet the rallies are large, and enthusiastic…

From Irecê, in Bahia

Goiania

From Mogi Mirim in São Paulo…check out the tractors!

Contagem, Minas Gerais

Montes Claros, Minas Gerais

Birigui, São Paulo (complete with national anthem)

Tobias Barreto, Sergipe

Iguatu, interior of the state of Ceará

Parnaíba, Piaui

We could do this all night. What we can’t seem to find, however, is any of the mainstream Brazilian press reporting on it. We’ll be sure to update if we find anything.

Click here to follow our continuing coverage of the 2018 Brazilian presidential elections.